Tank car valve



Oct. 27, 1936. Q BNALLRED 2,059,078

TANK CAR VALVE Filed July 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

0 13 B. Allred Oct. 27, 1936. ED 2,059,078

INVENT OR. O'tzsB/Illred ATTO EY.

Patented. Oct 27, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,059,078 TANK can VALVE Tex.

Application July 8, 1935, Serial No. 30,373

The invention provides a valve designed more especially for tanks that are mounted upon trucks for transportation over railroads and aims to minimize the hazard to human life, both in the 5 installation and the testing of the valve.

The invention furthermore provides a valve of the character indicated which may be tested separate and apart from the tank and with little or no appreciable waste of fluid.

1s The invention also contemplates a valve having a dual sealing, the closing elements being synchronously operable by means of a right and a left threaded stem which is mounted for a limited endwise play to insure a uniform seating of both closing elements. a

The invention supplies a valve of the character aforesaid which may be installed from without the tank, thus-avoiding the necessity for one to enter the tank and obviating the risk incident to such step.

While the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to-be understood that in adapting the same to meet specific needs and requirements, the design may be varied and changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to within the-scope of the invention as claimed, without departing from the spirit thereof.

For a full understanding of the invention and an the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the drawings hereto attached, in which:

Figure l is an enlarged sectional detail view of a tank valve embodying the invention, the

closing elements being unseated.

Figure 2 is a side view of a tank car equipped with the improved valve, a portion being broken away to disclose the valve and adjunctive parts.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.'

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of the parts associated with the upper portion of the valve operating stem.

Figure 6 is a detail view of a portion of the sprocket wheeland coacting pawl forming the valve locking means.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by. like reference characters.

In the preferred construction, the valve body comprises an upper portion I and a lower portion la. Seats I 3 and l3a are provided at the ends .opening it in aside of the part I is closed by a of the portion I. Elements 8 and 8:: close on the seats is and Ma and constitute valve discs which are centrally threaded to match right and left threaded portions Illa and lilb of a stem M. The valve 8a is formed with a chambered portion 5 Ha in which is received the lower end of the stem II. A smaller chambered portion llb is formed on the valve 8 and the stem l0 passes therethrough. A gland ll confines packing in a recess formed in the upper end of the projec- 10 tion lib. The valves 8 and 8a are prevented from turning; hence, rotation of the stem l0 effects a movement of the respective valves towards or away from the seats l3 and I311. A cage 9 secured to the upper reduced end of the 15 valve body provides a guide for the valve 8 and a bearing for the valve stem III. A similar cage 9a within the lower portion la of the valve body guides the valve 8a and prevents its turning. A chamber 30 is formed in the part I of the valve body between the valve seats l3 and l3a. A bar 24 extending across the chamber 30 engages the valve stem l0 between the threaded portions thereof and limits the play of said stem'and affords uniform seating of the valves 8 and 811. An

plug [to and facilitates tests.

A plate It is applied to the bottom of the tank 25 in line with the opening formed therein and receives the valve which is threaded thereto. A binding screw l4 threaded into the plate I! secures the valve. The valve is applied to the tank 25 from the outside, hence the necessity for entering the car is obviated and the usual risk avoided. An opening lllc is formed in each 35 of the valves 8 and In for the escape of liquid that may find its way into the chambers ila and ilb. This opening is coincident with the thread receiving the valve stem and is formed by extending the thread beyond the threaded 4 portion of the valve stem. 7

An operating stem I8 is coupled to the valve stem l0 and is mounted in'a bracket 26 within the dome of the tank 25. A hand wheel 20 is fitted to the stem l8. A sprocket wheel I9 is 4 pinned or otherwise secured to the stem l8, and a pawl 2| coacts therewith to hold the stem l8 against backward movement. The sprocket wheel I 8 and pawl 2i constitute locking means for the valve to prevent opening thereof by vibra- 50 tion. A bracket .23 pivotally supports the pawl The construction admits of testing the valve for leakage before or after installation. The two valves 8 and provide a double sealing as against possible leak. The right and left screw thread connection of the valves 8 and 8a with the stem I0 results in a synchronous seating or unseating thereof upon rotation of the stem. An even and uniform seating of the valves is assured by the endwise play of the stem 10.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

A tank valve of the character specified comprising a body having an end portion reduced and chambered, and provided with seats at the ends of the chamber and having a test outlet leading from the chamber, a manually operable closure for the test outlet, a bar extending across thn chamber, valves closable on said seats and adapted to confine any fluid entrapped in said chamber, cages projecting from opposite ends of the chambered portion of the body and engaging the valves to form guides therefor and prevent their turning, and a right and left threaded stem mounted in one of the cages and engaging the valves to effect a simultaneous seating and unseating thereof, and having the right and left threaded portions spaced apart to receive the aforesaid bar and coact therewith to limit endwise play of the stem.

OTIS B. ALLRED. 

